Book-rest



(No Model.)

A. R. BYRKIT.

Y BOOK REST. N0. 289,384. Patented Deo. 4, 1883.

A means of the shape of the shoulder.

To all whom, t may concern:

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIBALD R. BYRKIT, OF FAIRFIELD, IOVA.

BooK-REST.

SPECIFICATION forming part. of Letters Patent No. 289,384, datedDecember 4,r 1883. Application filed April 2, 1883. (No model.)

`Be it known that I, ARCHIBALD R. BYRKIT, of Fairfield, inthe county ofJefferson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Book-Rests; and I do -hereby declare the following to bea full, clear,

and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improvement in book-rests, the object of thesame being to provide a device of this character capable of beingattached to any chair, which shall be neat in appearance, and at thesame time simple in construction and efficient in use; and with theseends in View my invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter fully setforth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a view in perspective of achair with my im proved device attached. Fig. 2 is a detached View ofthe frame.

A represents a bearing screwed or other# wise firmly secured to theunder side of the chair-bottom. The outer end of this bearing isprovided with a square shoulder, and is internally screw-threaded. l Onthe square sh oulder formed on this `bearing is fastened a toothedsegment, b, bywmmeans of a screw, g, the segment being prevented fromturning by On the tubular bearing A is mounted the upright hollow shaftB, provided witli the horizontal bearing a. Immediately abovethehorizontal bearing c the hollow shaft B is provided with aspring-actuated pawl, C, adapted to @ngage with the toothed segment Vhenth`e` handle of this pawl is pulled backward, which may be done withoutarising from the chair, it raises the lower arm, which is thendisengaged from the toothed segment, thus allowing the shaft B to bemoved backward or forward, at the same time moving the rest Dnearer toor farther away from the reader, as the case may be.

Vhen the handle is released, the spring d inimediately operates todepress the lower arm of the pawl in engagement with the toothed segmentb. The shaft B, near its upper end, is provided with a horizontal arm,e, which is divided into two sections by a slit, c, extend-Y `zontalportion of the catch about midwa its length. The arm e is provided witha hole or perforation extending through both sections, the sectionnearest the chair being provided with a female screwthread. Athumb-screw,.f, passing through theperforation, is adapted to enga-ge inthe fem ale screwithread, and, when turned, to con pressthe two sectionsof the arm e, thus closing from the upper end of said shaft to a pointing the slit c, and decreasing the diameter of the hollow shaft B.

`E is a rod or shaft adapted to fit in the hollow shaft B. It will bereadily seen that this rod may be moved either up or down within thehollow shaft B by simply loosening the thumb-screw f, which tightens theshaft B around it. It may also be turned in either direction, to theright or left. The thumb-screw fis within easy reach of the person inthe chair, thus allowing him to adjust the rod E without the necessityof gettin g out ofthe chair. By this arrangement it will be observedthat the rest D, attached to the rod E, as hereinafter eX plained, maybe either raised or lowered, and pushed either away from or broughttoward the reader, according to his fancy. The upper end, F, of thisshaft is bent at right angles, and slightly reduced in diameter, thusforming a shoulder. This portion F is mounted in bearings f t', firmlysecured to the rest D.

To the extreme end of the bent portion F is firmly secured a quadrant,G, provided with a series of perforations, k. By means of the bearingst' t' the rest D may be placed at an angle with regard to the rod E. Bymeans of the quadrant G, together with the aforesaid shoulder on thebent portion F, the rod E is kept in position in the bearing t' To therest D is secured a spring-actuated catch, H, which is manipulated by athumbnut, I, which projects a little beyond the inner edge of the rest Dand within easy reach of the reader. This catch is adapted to 'enter theperforations k, and thussecure the rest D in any desired adjustment,this operation being performed by simply turning the thumbnut I to theright, which withdraws the horifrom the perforation in the plate G. Thesmall block fi is secured to the bottom of the rest, and forms thesupport for the catch. One end of the spiral IOO spring 132 pressesagainst the bottom of the rest, and the other against the uprightportion of the catch. The rest I) may be made of any desired materialand construction.

It will be readily observed that my improved' device may also be used asa writing-desk, and is well adapted for invalids; that it is simple inconstruction, is of f'ew parts, and can be applied to any chair at asmall initial cost.

I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the specificconstruction herein shown and described, but hold myself at liberty tomake such slight changes and alterations as may be considered to fairlyfall within the spirit and scope of my invention.V

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

' I. The combination, with a bearing,` constructed as described, wherebyit may be secured to a chair, of a hollow slitted uprightv shaft havingan eye adapted to lit over the bearing, a toothed segment securedrigidly to the bearing, a spring-actuated pawl pivoted to the hollowshaft and adapted to engage the segment, a rod niovably secured withinthe shaft, having,` a book-rest secured thereto, and provided with aspring-catch and a perforated quadrant, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination. in a book-rest, of an upright hollow slitted shaftprovided with means for attaching it to the chair, with the rod adaptedto fit within said shaft and to be adj usted up and down, provided witha horizontal extension having bearings and a perforated quadrant-plate,and the spring-actuated catch fltted in a bearing secured to the rest,and provided with aknob and an actuating-spring, the catch being adaptedto rotate in the bearing, and to be adjusted from one perforation to theother, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

ARCHIBALD R. BYRKIT.

Titnesses C. C. COTTLE, GEO. M. Ri'rCHii.

